By Shrivathsa Sridhar
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Lorenzo Sonego ended the dream run of another teenager at the Australian Open as the unseeded Italian beat qualifier Learner Tien 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1 and reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time on Monday.
Sonego had taken out Brazilian 18-year-old Joao Fonseca in the second round and his experience proved crucial yet again as he ground out the win over 19-year-old American Tien on John Cain Arena.
“I don’t know what to say. It’s just unbelievable, I’m crazy emotional,” said 29-year-old Sonego. “Today was so tough, I’m so sad that he had a problem. It’s not the right way to win, but I’m so happy to reach the quarter-finals.
“The atmosphere was amazing, it was really special to be here. I want to do my best and I played well this week. I want to enjoy every moment.”
Tien stretched his strapped right thigh after a tame double fault in his opening service game and Sonego accepted the gift of an early break to cruise through the first set.
Sonego, a singer-songwriter in his spare time with a notable presence on Spotify, hit all the right notes in the next set and looked well on his way to a comfortable win after going up 5-2 with another break before holding in the eighth game.
But Tien, who was bidding to become the youngest man to reach the quarters since a 17-year-old Goran Ivanisevic in 1989, hit back with a break in the third set, which he went on to secure when Sonego hit a forehand long.
The Italian recovered quickly, however, and hit a series of rasping forehand winners en route to a 3-0 advantage in the fourth set before sealing the victory and booking a last eight meeting with either Gael Monfils or Ben Shelton.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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